I am delighted to announce that NOAA’s Coastal Services Center and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management have joined forces to become the Office for Coastal Management. 

The new organizational structure will bring value-added services to taxpayers. The emphasis is on partnerships, as the office works to administer the Coastal Zone Management Act and the Coral Reef Conservation Act; provide products and services to the coastal management community; and bring new partners and sectors together to address coastal management issues. The alignment of these two organizations is designed to bring a new energy and focus to the business of coastal resource management through a strong regional presence coupled with refined programmatic functions. 

The new office structure is the result of months of meticulous planning. I would like to thank the men and women who supported the development of this office with in-depth analysis of program activities and assessment of the best organizational structure to meet the office’s mission.

Well known components of the new office include the Digital Coast; the National Estuarine Research Reserves; the National Coastal Zone Management Program; and NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. 

As part of this organizational change, the National Marine Protected Areas Center has moved to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Merging these two programs creates a focal point for NOAA’s expertise in marine protected area management, science, and education to national and global audiences. 

Holly A. Bamford, Ph.D.
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal
Zone Management, National Ocean Service